My truck is a 2000 F150 Manual.
My fuel gauge is set at half full until I turn the truck off and it reads empty. Occasionally, when it's very hot outside, it will work for a few minutes. My odometer worked intermittently until I did the re-solder repair found on this site.
Every once in a while, I would tap on the plastic instrument cluster cover, and the odometer would turn on and the fuel gauge would work. I think it's the fuel instrument gauge rather than the sending unit in the tank. If so, is there a repair I can make or do I have to replace the whole instrument cluster?
Thanks in advance

 

Sounds like a sticking gauge to me. I think the "Occasionally, when it's very hot outside" gives it away. I'm uncertain if that is a device that you can or want to crack open. If you can get inside it, here is what I would recommend. I work on airplanes and this is the procedure I'd perform to free up a sticking indicator.

1.) Make sure the device is disconnected from any electrical source.
2.) Apply isopropel alcohol using an acid brush (or any kind of really small paint brush) to the base of the indicator shaft.
3.) Try to work the area immediately protruding from the gauge and try to ensure the alcohol is going down into the gauge.
4.) The alcohol evaporates quickly, but give the gauge about 10 minutes of dry time before you hook it back up to check for functionality.

Hope this helps.

 

Thanks, I'm going to give it a try. I should have also mentioned, upon starting, the gauge shoots up to half full and remains there unless, I tap on the plastic instrument cluster cover and it will start to work. I'm hoping you're right. I'll have a go and let you know. Thanks again. Great tip

 

I removed the gauge and it was rather hard to turn. I cleaned and replaced it, to no avail. It still went to half-full and stayed there. I then decided to swap the gas gauge with the oil gauge (which always reads half way) and it worked!

 

Wait. Did you remove, clean and reinstall the gauge or did you "Replace" the gauge??? Either way, sounds like a bad gauge. Glad you found the answer.

 

1998 F150 4.6L, Start the truck all the gauges read normal until the coolant temperature starts to come up. Suddenly, oil pressure pegs, volts drop to -0- but the rest of the gauges appear fine??? Pulled the cluster out, couldn't find any cracks, new battery, cleaned all the body & frame grounds, still doing it?? If you let the truck cool down just a couple minutes & re-start it, same thing happens. Any help would sure be welcome. Truck has 152,000 miles.

 

I tried cleaning the gas gauge and cleaning it with alcohol but it didn't work. It would read half full all the time. I swapped it with the oil gauge (which always read half way anyways!) and it worked perfectly.

 

Try pulling the temp gauge out- (it's held in with two screws and pull if off the circuit board) re install the cluster and see if it's still doing it. At least you can isolate the issue. Also, not seeing any cracks doesn't mean there aren't any. I repaired my odometer with a simple re solder. I also had a passenger airbag light error code 27 - bad bulb. I re soldered that, bulb works, problem solved. Replacing the cluster is a nightmare. YOu have to deal with the PAD key issue.

 

Oh OK. So the guage is seized beyond repair and must be replaced.

 

Wanted to update findings. Have discovered that if I unplug the cluster harness located on the left side. behind the gauges, they begin to work. Unless I'm wrong, this plug only controls the warning lights on that side, so I don't know what the relationship could be to the gauges. Any ideas?

 

Discovered coolant temperature sensor was bad. Unplug this and everything works well, except for the temp gauge of course.

 

Replaced coolant temperature sensor, all gauges work fine.